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Arizona sculptors, painters and illustrators made an annual average salary of $95,600 in 2014, making the state the highest paying for that occupation, followed by New York at $75,940. The annual average salary for fine artists in the United States is $51,120.

Arizona State University professor James White, who has created art for the past 50 years, said he thinks the reason Arizona artists came out on top has to do with the kind of people who reside in the state.

“There are a lot of people with disposable incomes in Scottsdale, and it’s the people with disposable income that collect art,” said White, a sculptor and neon artist.

However, the labor statistics only tell part of the story. The data compiled only accounts for 110 fine artists who reside in Arizona, and this figure leaves out the majority of self-employed artists, one expert said.

Steve Wilcox, communications and research director of the Arizona Commission on the Arts, said in an email that Arizona has many more artists than the Bureau of Labor Statistics counted under its definition of “fine artist.”

Henrie takes about a week to complete each piece, and he uses a multitude of media, including wood, plaster and canvas. He sells prints of his work starting at $50, and his original pieces are priced up to $10,000.

“This is my biggest show of the year for selling pieces,” Henrie said. “This place takes 20 percent of the profit, which is better than other festivals that can take up to 50 percent. There was a lot of advertising, so there is a good amount of people here.”

Scottsdale sculptor Gedion Nyanhongo, 48, who has showcased his work in countries around the world, said he believes winter visitors lead to the high salary of Arizona artists.

“The people run from the cold weather to the warm,” Nyanhongo said. “Wherever there is people, there is art.”

Using only hand tools, Nyanhongo creates sculptures from stone that take him up to three years to complete. His pieces sell for $25,000 to $54,000, with his most expensive commission selling at $125,000.
“I’ve been making art since I was age 9, when my father and I worked a gallery together in Zimbabwe,” Nyanhongo said.

The Celebration of Art in Scottsdale runs daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Loop 101 and Hayden Road.